1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to releasable fasteners for releasably securing straps, webbing or belts together. More particularly, the invention relates to releasable fasteners for use with aircraft ejection seats for securing lap belts, torso restraint or shoulder harness straps and a parachute ripcord, or ripcord lanyard, in an arrangement facilitating both manual release of the connected members and quick disconnect emergency release of the lap belts and torso or shoulder straps in connection with operation of the ejection seat and subsequent automatic opening of the parachute.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Releasable fasteners for securing belts, straps, webbing and the like together, and particularly for use in coupling the lap belts and shoulder straps of an aircraft ejection seat are well known in the art. The present invention includes as a portion thereof certain features of the releasable fastener shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,234, issued Oct. 19, 1976 to Richard H. Frost, et al., for the "Releasable Fastener". The disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,234, is incorporated herein by this reference.
The prior art has made provision for coupling a ripcord to the ejection seat to effect automatic deployment of the parachute in the event of an emergency ejection of the seat and crewman from the aircraft. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,451, issued Sept. 18, 1956, to J. P. Moran, for "Apparatus for Releasing an Aviator From a Safety Harness Connection with a Seat." The parachute ripcord conventionally terminates in a D-ring handle which the wearer may grasp and pull to deploy the parachute. For automatic deployment of the parachute following seat ejection, a lanyard may be secured at one end to the D-ring and at its other end is provided with a key or terminal, sometimes referred to as a "gold key" by virtue of its color, which is adapted for engagement with the ejection seat either directly or through the lap belts. In some installations, particularly for high speed, high altitude aircraft, lanyard is secured at its first end to an automatic parachute opener which includes both altitude sensing features and a time delay mechanism to allow the ejection seat and crewman to descend to a safer lower altitude before the parachute is opened.
In order to provide for automatic disconnections of the lap belts and shoulder straps, to allow the ejection seat to separate from the crewman before the parachute is deployed, the present invention further includes a quick disconnect coupling mechanism, embodying certain features of the character shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,556, issued May 25, 1975, to Richard H. Frost for "Gas Operated Quick Disconnect Coupling." The disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,556 is incorporated herein by this reference.